To celebrate the launch of the ‘Around the Toilet’ project we are holding our first public event in Manchester: a half-day speaker event featuring key figures in the field of toilet research, as well as an exciting range of cross-disciplinary voices on the history, design and role of public toilets.

The event is free and open to all members of the public, but please sign up for a ticket here on our Eventbrite page. This page also tells you more about the location and accessibility.

Speakers will address questions, such as:

– What makes an accessible toilet?
– What can toilets tell us about social constructions of gender identity and disability?
– How have designers approached this most private of public spaces?
– What do the hidden histories of toilets in the city reveal?

List of speakers

– Jo-Anne Bichard (Royal College of Art), ‘Extending Architectural Affordance or How to Spend a Penny’
– Leo Care (University of Sheffield), ‘Around the Toilet: From Social Mess to Architectural Touchstone’
– Barbara Penner (Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL), ‘Redesigning for the User: Alexander Kira and the Ergonomic Bathroom’
– Morag Rose (University of Sheffield and co-founder of the Loiterers Resistance Movement), ‘Are You Engaged? The Secret World of Manchester’s Toilets’
– Clara Greed (Emerita Professor, University of Bristol), Closing Remarks and Discussant